Current affairs is an important part of UPSC and State PCS exams, which plays a vital role in your success in Prelims, Mains, and Interview. Through this, examiners understand how aware you are about the events happening in the country and the world and what impact they have on your knowledge and attitude. But it can be challenging to focus on the most important and relevant topics among the numerous events happening every day.
In this article, we will learn how to prepare for current affairs for UPSC and State PCS exams and what are the best ways to keep yourself updated.
1. Make a habit of reading newspapers
The most effective way to prepare for current affairs is to read newspapers daily. It not only makes you aware of the latest happenings, but also strengthens your language and thinking skills. Newspapers like The Hindu and Indian Express are especially useful for UPSC and PCS aspirants.
While reading newspapers, pay attention to the following aspects:
- National and international events
- Government schemes and policies
- Important issues raised in Parliament
- News related to economy, environment, science and technology
- Changes and events related to society and culture
While reading newspapers, do not waste time on unnecessary news. Pay attention only to that news which are relevant
from the exam point of view.
2. Study weekly and monthly current affairs magazines
Along with newspapers, it is also important to study weekly or monthly current affairs magazines. It gives you a
summary of the major events of the entire month, so that you can organize your preparation better. Magazines like
Yojana, Kurukshetra, Pratiyogita Darpan and Vigyan Pragati can be useful.
These magazines contain detailed analysis of major policies, schemes, government reports, and important national and international events, which proves to be very helpful in main examination and essay writing.
3. Use online portals and apps
Nowadays there are many portals and apps available on the internet which provide updates and quizzes related to
current affairs. You can make your preparation more effective by using them. On websites and apps like
Insights on India, Vision IAS, Byju’s IAS, you get daily current affairs, quizzes, and monthly compilations, so that you can stay constantly updated.
Try to spend at least 30 minutes daily on these portals. In this time you can cover monthly magazines, daily news
analysis and quizzes etc.
4. Study previous years’ question papers
Analyzing previous years’ question papers can be very helpful in preparing for current affairs. With this you can
understand what type of current affairs questions are asked in the exam and what kind of events are important.
Also keep in mind that direct questions on news are not asked in UPSC and PCS exams, rather the analytical aspect of the events is more important. Therefore, it is important to understand the news in depth rather than just knowing it.
5. Pay attention to government schemes and reports
Questions based on government schemes, policies and reports are asked in abundance in UPSC and PCS exams.
Therefore, you should keep a close eye on the major schemes of the government, budget, economic survey, NITI Aayog
reports, and other government aspects.
You should also know which ministry these schemes are run by, what are their objectives, and what problems they
have been brought to solve. Questions related to these can be asked in the main exam as well as in the interview.
6. Prepare short notes
Along with studying current affairs regularly, it is also very important to prepare short notes. When you read
newspapers daily or study monthly magazines, make notes of important points.
Making short notes will make it easier for you to revise before the exam. Note down some important points related to current affairs such as government schemes, economic policies, international agreements, scientific developments, etc. in your notebook and keep revising them from time to time.
7. Use news channels and YouTube
Many news channels and YouTube channels can also be very useful for preparing for current affairs. Watching regular
debate and analysis programs on channels like Rajya Sabha TV, Lok Sabha TV, and DD News can be beneficial.
There are also many channels on YouTube that provide analysis and summary of current affairs for UPSC and PCS
preparation. Watch daily or weekly analysis on these channels and pay attention to important issues.
8. Weekly and monthly revision
Regular revision is very important to achieve success in the field of current affairs. Plan weekly and monthly revision so that you can remember what you have learned for a long time.
At the end of every week, revise the important news of the last seven days and revise them from your short notes.
During monthly revision, you should read monthly current affairs magazine and previous notes carefully.
9. Connect current affairs with related subjects
In UPSC and PCS exams, questions related to current affairs are related to other subjects like history, geography,
economics etc.
For example, if there is news related to an international organization or treaty, relate it to Indian foreign policy.
Similarly, if there is a social scheme, relate it to the social justice of the Indian Constitution.
Conclusion
Current affairs preparation is a continuous process, which is based on regularity, selection of right sources, and accurate revision. To succeed in current affairs in UPSC and state PCS exams, you should devote at least 2-3 hours daily. With the right planning, selection of good sources, and continuous practice, you can solve current affairs questions easily and achieve success in the exam.
